


A mother`s wish

by Tantaylor



Series: Better late than never [2]
Category: Duran Duran
Genre: M/M, Mother-Son Relationship, i just want you to be happy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25187812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tantaylor/pseuds/Tantaylor
Summary: Sylvia Bates just wants her gay son to be happy.( Sequel to Five days in France)
Relationships: Nick Rhodes/Roger Taylor (Duran Duran)
Series: Better late than never [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1824661
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	A mother`s wish

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my mother tongue, no beta.
> 
> When I wrote *Five days in France* I wondered not for the first time how Nick`s mom would feel. So here`s finally a story about this Wonderful lady.

Sylvia Bates smiled to herself as she hung up the phone.  
It made her happy that her only son finally sounded enthusiastic again after such a long time.  
“Roger!, ” she called out for her husband. “Guess what? Nigel is in England. They are planning to reunite the band.”  
“Huh?” Rodge looked up from his book, pushing his glasses up with a finger.  
“They called Andy and Roger, looks like they agreed on coming back. Nicholas sounded so happy. It was really good to hear him like that.”

Roger nodded silently and the couple looked at each other. No words were needed.  
They' d been very worried about Nick lately. Since his best friend went to America, he seemed to have lost all his creative energy. It had really looked like bad heartbreak, and it probably was in a way.  
A long time ago, when Nick had just turned 15 and told them he was gay, they thought he and Nigel were a couple.  
When Sylvia had carefully asked him about it, he had laughed out loud for half an hour.

"Mama! No! Uh. Nige is my friend. My best friend. Not that kind of friend!”

“What am I supposed to think, Nicholas James? He practically lives here, you are sleeping in one bed, your room door is always locked…You can really tell me, honey. Your father and I are very fond of Nigel, it would be nice if he was your boyfriend.”

“But he's not my boyfriend. If I ever have one, I'll introduce him to you, Mum, I promise.”

Sylvie sighed at the memory. Yeah, right.  
She had given up hope long ago that Nicholas would ever bring a man home.  
She loved her son with all her heart, her only child, and she was incredibly proud of him.  
That he was gay had never been a problem for her and her husband.

She got angry every time and then sad when she heard that parents abandoned their own children because they were the way they were. It was beyond her comprehension how someone could reject his own child.

But what made her even sadder was that Nick was so alone. Of course he didn't admit that. He said he didn't need all this relationship stuff, that love and romantic bullshit wasn't for him.  
If that really was the way to make Nick happy, fine.  
But he wasn't freaking happy, she wasn't imagining it!  
She'd been asking herself that for a long time. If maybe she wasn't as tolerant as she thought she was. If she secretly, subconsciously, judged Nick's lifestyle morally and convinced herself that he couldn't possibly be happy.  
Well, she had to admit that she would definitely be more comfortable if her son had a steady partner. If only because of the AIDS thing.  
But Nick was a grown man and it was his life to live, and he had repeatedly assured her that he always used condoms.  
Still. He was not happy, period. A mother could tell.  
Two weeks passed before Nick and Nigel finally managed to accept her invitation to dinner, and it was incredibly nice to see the man again, who was almost like a second son to her.  
She had to cry and could not let him go for a long time.

“You'll crush John, Mommy.” Nick laughed.  
John. Of course.  
It was impossible for a great star to be named Nigel. Almost as bad as to be named Bates, huh?

They spent a wonderful evening together.

"And you really want to do this? Get Duran back together?” Sylvie asked during dessert.

“Absolutely! We've met with Andy and Roger a couple of times. Did you know that Ands lives in Ibiza now?” Nigel…, sorry, John, beamed all over. “I rented a villa in France for four weeks. With a studio. We'll go there and see how it works, if the chemistry's still good and all. We leave next week. We're all excited, aren't we, Nick?”  
“Indeed. I can`t wait.”  
Sylvia and Roger stood in the doorway and waved at them as they left. 

Maybe, Sylvie thought, maybe he would find his happiness at least in music. 

Because his energy had definitely returned.

Nick didn't get in touch from France very often, and when he did, it was only very briefly.

That was all right, she knew how hard he worked when he had something on his mind. Then there was never much room for anything else.  
She was all the more surprised when Nicholas called right after he returned.  
“I`m back.”  
“You obviously are. So, how'd it go? You still have the right chemistry?”  
Nick chuckled. “You have no idea.”  
“Which means what exactly?”  
“I'd like to tell you in person, not on the phone. Is tomorrow convenient for you? “

“We always have time for you, Nick, you know that!”

“I wouldn't come alone.”

“Is Nigel coming? That's fine, we're looking forward to it.”

“It`s not Nigel.”

“Oh, excuse me. John.”

Nick laughed.

“No, mum. I`ll bring my boyfriend, if you don`t mind.”  
Sylvia almost dropped the phone.  
“Nicholas, don't joke with your old mother!”

“I do not. I once promised you that, if I had a boyfriend, I'd introduce him to you.”

“That was 24 years ago, Nick.”  
“You see? I remember my promises.”  
“How is that possible? You were in France, you were working, now where does a boyfriend suddenly come from? Is it a Frenchman?”  
Nick laughed again and the mere sound of it warmed Sylvie`s heart.  
“Long story, mom. You'll understand when we come by. And you'll be quite surprised. So, tomorrow at seven?”

“You may as well come for tea time.”

Another laugh.  
When was the last time Nick had laughed so much within only a few minutes? 

Whoever that ominous boyfriend was, Sylvia loved him already, loved him for making her son happy.

“You're dying of curiosity, aren't you?”

“Of course! For God's sake, Nicholas! Tell me about him. How did you met? What`s his name?”

“Tomorrow, mum. For tea. I love you.”

Sylvie was terribly excited. Checking the table for what seemed to be the hundredth time, she glanced out of the window.  
Goodness, if only she were more precise about the time.  
For tea.  
That could be anything between 3 and 6.  
Roger chuckled as he came in.  
“Sit down, darling. You`re making me nervous.”  
“Aren't you even excited? It's the first time he's bringing anyone.”  
“Oh, I`m well aware of that, Sylvie. What do we do if the guy's an idiot? Some annoying faggot? Someone who likes to wear women's clothes and more make-up than our son? Anyway, doesn't this whole thing strike you as suspicious?”

“Thank you very much, Rodge, you really put me at ease! You don`t say faggot. And I seriously doubt that Nick is into men in women`s clothing.”

“Whatever. But the question is, Sylvia, where did this guy come from? Nick didn't have time for this. This is all very strange, isn`t it?”  
Yeah, that's right. It was very weird. But she could still hear Nick's happy laughter.  
This couldn't be wrong!  
The first man Nick introduced to his parents could not possibly be some weird freak, no way.

When finally a car drove into the driveway, she had to control herself very hard not to run straight to the door and she didn't want to stand by the window like some nosy old biddy.

“You go and open the door, darling, I'm too nervous.”  
Sylvie leaned against the dinner table and closed her eyes.

Please! Please be a nice, friendly man, please! I am very tolerant, I could handle women's clothes if I have to, just please don't be a stupid idiot, please!

Voices from the hallway. Laughter.  
She took a deep breath and went to greet her son`s boyfriend.

Until that second Sylvie had never realized how many different things a person could feel at the same time and what an incredible emotional chaos this could cause.  
She was delighted.  
She was sad.  
And God, was she angry!  
How dare Nick do that?  
Trick her like that?  
And why was Roger in on it?  
He had always been such a nice, quiet boy.  
Polite and respectful.  
Didn't he know how much he was hurting Sylvia?  
She wanted to be happy, really. Because it was really nice to see him again. It really was. And he looked good. And she had always liked him. 

There was Roger...Roger the drummer, not her husband, standing in the middle of the hall, smiling at her and holding Nick's hand, and Nick was smiling just like that.  
“Why are you doing this to me?” she said quietly, fighting back the tears. “You've always had a peculiar sense of humour, but this isn't a bit funny, Nicholas James Bates, you hear? It's not funny!”  
Nick looked at her confused.  
"What? What are you talking about?”  
“Sylvie.” Roger said softly, taking a step towards her.  
“Don`t, Roger! I'm very disappointed that you're playing this stupid joke. I'd very much be happy to see you again, but not like this, you understand? That's just mean.”

“Darling…” The other Roger. Her husband. 

“You believe this crap? That's Roger! Roger is married.  
Roger is definitely not gay.”

“I`m divorced for ten years now, Sylvia. Because I found out that I prefer men. You're welcome to call my mother and ask her.” The other Roger said.

“Mom! You really think I would... I can'! believe it! You think I could do something that tasteless? Seriously?”

“Come on, Nick! You're not gonna tell me that Roger's your lover!”

“Yes, Mother, he is. Even before we went to France, Roger told us he was gay. Believe me, I was extraordinarily surprised. Then, in France…I don`t know, it just…and when we came back , I..he`s…”

Something warm and fuzzy exploded in Sylvia and spread all inside her body like a warm bath on a cold day. Her knees got a bit wobbly.

It was that stutter. The way Nick blushed.  
Her son didn't stutter. Not ever.  
And he certainly didn't blush.

“Oh my God!,” she whispered. “Is that really true?”  
And then the tears flowed. But they were not tears of anger or sadness.  
Sylvia felt a pair of arms around her and laughed softly.  
"You're back!"  
"I am."  
"And this time you stay? "

"Absolutely.” 

"And you love him?”

Roger leaned in close to her ear:

"I wouldn't tell him yet because he thinks that's romantic bullshit, but yes, I love him."

“Would you like tea, Roger?”

“I'd love some, Sylvia.”  
“It's really wonderful to see you again.”


End file.
